Dreaming of Warm Weather? Tropical Liqueurs Offers Summer Vibes All Year Long Monday January 23, 2023 Share Dining By Rachel Huffman Spreading summer vibes all year long, Tropical Liqueurs serves frozen cocktails and street tacos in The Grove neighborhood of St. Louis. The bar launched in Columbia, Missouri, in 1985, and the Tiger Paw (peach schnapps, 151 rum, pineapple juice and orange juice) became an instant hit. “I drank that throughout my entire collegiate career,” owner Billy Thompson says with a laugh. “The success of the Tiger Paw is one of the reasons that Tropical Liqueurs has expanded.” Today, Tropical Liqueurs has four locations in Missouri: two in Columbia, one in Springfield and one in St. Louis. Plus, there are two Tropical Liqueurs locations in Enterprise Center, so you can enjoy your favorite concoctions at St. Louis Blues ice hockey games, concerts and other events. Photo courtesy of Tropical Liqueurs The St. Louis location at 4104 Manchester Ave. features trendy, tropical décor, exposed brick and natural light, and Thompson prides himself on having an inclusive space. “At Tropical Liqueurs, members of different communities can come together and have a good time,” he says. “There’s always a diverse group of people enjoying drinks and playing games throughout the space.” Here, Thompson shares his favorite flavors and how he makes frozen cocktails appealing even when it’s freezing. Photo courtesy of Tropical Liqueurs Tropical Liqueurs serves some of the best frozen cocktails in Missouri. Do you have a favorite? Since opening in St. Louis, we’ve created several premium frozen cocktails, and I think that my favorite is the Bushwacker, which is a chocolate-coconut delight. I also have to talk about the Louie, which we created when we began serving at Enterprise Center. An homage to the Blues, it’s like an electric lemonade; it has sour notes, and it’s not as sweet as our other flavors. All our drinks are, I’m going to say, strong, though; you’ll definitely know that you’re drinking an adult beverage. Why did you decide to open Tropical Liqueurs locations in Enterprise Center? We’re huge sports fans, and we wanted to become part of the St. Louis sports scene. As we started developing the partnership, we also realized that most of the leadership already had an affinity for Tropical Liqueurs, so it really was a natural fit. This is our fourth season, and although I was nervous about selling ice at an ice rink, we’ve been successful. The fans are fantastic, the vibe is amazing, and we have a lot of fun with it. So, in the dead of winter – or at an ice rink – how do you convince people to drink frozen cocktails? Lucky for us, most people don’t need to be convinced. At our location in The Grove, we also have a full bar, and we get creative with winter cocktails. The Dirty Snowman, for instance, is an adult hot chocolate, and once you try it, you’ll order it again and again. Throughout the year, we also host a variety of events, such as drag brunches, live radio spots and philanthropy events, which bring people to the bar and make the space more vibrant. Our patrons know that we’re always moving furniture, and they love learning about upcoming events. Photo courtesy of Tropical Liqueurs What are the benefits of being in The Grove? How does the location enhance the visitor experience? The Grove is one of the liveliest nightlife communities in St. Louis. So, when you visit Tropical Liqueurs, you have a lot of other places within walking distance to explore, too. You can start anywhere at any time and have a memorable experience. Share
